---
name: "Naima Wifstrand"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/naima-wifstrand"
fi1m_id: "naima-wifstrand"
imdb_id: "nm0927711"
tmdb_id: 550134
wikidata_id: "Q446668"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "4 September 1890"
died: "23 October 1968"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 86
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-25T07:52:34.116827+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Naima Wifstrand

## Identity

Naima Wifstrand

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/naima-wifstrand
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** naima-wifstrand
- **IMDb ID:** nm0927711
- **TMDB ID:** 550134
- **Wikidata ID:** Q446668
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naima_Wifstrand, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q446668, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0927711/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/550134

Actor. Born 4 September 1890 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden. Died 23 October 1968.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 4 September 1890, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
- **Died:** 23 October 1968
- **Active:** 1955–1957
- **Frequently works with:** [Allan Ekelund](https://film.one/person/allan-ekelund.md), [Gunnar Björnstrand](https://film.one/person/gunnar-bjornstrand.md), [Ingmar Bergman](https://film.one/person/ingmar-bergman.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 86, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naima_Wifstrand, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q446668, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0927711/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/550134

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Wild Strawberries*](https://film.one/film/wild-strawberries.md) (88)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Naima Wifstrand

> Naima Wifstrand gives older women authority without making them reassuring. We rate her compact, restrained performances for Ingmar Bergman: she can steady a romantic comedy or make a family’s emotional distance feel harder to escape.

As Desirée’s mother in *Smiles of a Summer Night* (1955), Naima Wifstrand treats romantic complications as something she has long since learnt to recognise. Her world-weariness gives the comedy an older witness who is difficult to impress. We like the restraint: she makes the lovers look foolish without spoiling the film’s affection for them. Eva Dahlbeck and Harriet Andersson are particular pleasures in the ensemble, but Wifstrand matters to its balance: her world-weariness leaves room for other people’s folly. Bergman’s comedy occasionally becomes too elaborate, but there is nothing laboured about this sharp-witted mother.

Her film acting carries years of theatrical experience. She had been a leading operetta soprano before moving into spoken drama, and her film work became more substantial in the 1940s. The strong vocal delivery survives the change of medium, while the performances often remain understated. That combination suits supporting characters who need to establish their authority without much time to do it. Her collaboration with Ingmar Bergman also extended to his Malmö Stadsteater ensemble, where she worked from 1954 to 1961.

In *Wild Strawberries* (1957), her reserve is less companionable. As Isak’s mother, she helps make the film’s emotional distance a family matter rather than just a trait of its isolated professor. We found her restraint unsettling, because there is so little reassurance in this mother’s presence. Victor Sjöström makes Isak worth caring about without excusing him, and Wifstrand’s stoicism sits usefully beside that performance. When Bergman presses the symbolism too hard, this sort of restrained acting is especially welcome.

Her other Bergman roles include Granny Vogler, the enigmatic elder of the travelling troupe in *The Magician* (1958), and the Old Lady with Hat in *Hour of the Wolf* (1968), her final screen role. Those are small, atmospheric contributions, with limited room to develop a character. We would be wary of making grand claims for her from these parts alone, though the precision of her supporting work is reason enough to pay attention. Start with *Smiles of a Summer Night*, where she is allowed to be funny as well as authoritative.

## Biography

Naima Wifstrand was a Swedish actress and operetta singer. Born Siri Naima Matilda Wifstrand in Stockholm on 4 September 1890, she made her stage debut in 1905 and became a leading performer in operettas across Sweden and Scandinavia in the 1910s and 1920s.

She later worked as a character actress on stage and in film. Wifstrand appeared in several Ingmar Bergman productions, including as Mrs Armfeldt in *Smiles of a Summer Night* (1955), Isak's mother in *Wild Strawberries* (1957), Granny Vogler in *The Magician* (1958) and the old lady with a hat in *Hour of the Wolf* (1968). She died in Stockholm on 23 October 1968.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Wild Strawberries* (1957), Fi1m 88, as Isak's Mother — [page](https://film.one/film/wild-strawberries.md)
- *Smiles of a Summer Night* (1955), Fi1m 84, as Desirée's Mother — [page](https://film.one/film/smiles-of-a-summer-night.md)

## Complete filmography (63)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Waltz of Sex* (1968), as The Old Lady
- *Hour of the Wolf* (1968), as Old Lady with Hat
- *Night Games* (1966), as Astrid
- *The D.T.'s* (1966), as Mrs. von Grün
- *Wonderful Adventures of Nils* (1962), as Mor Akka (voice)
- *The Brig Three Lilies* (1961), as Grandma Tuvesson
- *Fröken Rosita* (1960), Actor
- *The Judge* (1960), as Mrs. Wangendorff
- *The Magician* (1958), as Granny Vogler
- *Sjutton år* (1957), as Clara
- *Wild Strawberries* (1957), as Isak's Mother — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/wild-strawberries.md)
- *Mr. Sleeman Is Coming* (1957), as Mrs. Gina
- *My Passionate Longing* (1956), Actor
- *Girl in Tails* (1956), as Widow Hyltenius
- *The Blonde Witch* (1956), as Maila
- *Smiles of a Summer Night* (1955), as Desirée's Mother — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/smiles-of-a-summer-night.md)
- *Den underbara lögnen* (1955), Actor
- *Paradiset* (1955), as Mrs. Ekström
- *Dreams* (1955), as Fru Arén
- *Danssalongen* (1955), as 'Madame'
- *Med Ingrid Bergman på Berns* (1953), Actor
- *Malin Goes Home* (1953), as Malin
- *Vingslag i natten* (1953), as Ane
- *The Road to Klockrike* (1953), as Waterhead's Mother
- *Ursula - Flickan i Finnskogarna* (1953), Actor
- *For the Sake of My Intemperate Youth* (1952), as Vendela Påhlman
- *Waiting Women* (1952), as Mrs. Lobelius
- *Hård klang* (1952), as Narrator / Clothes Saleswoman
- *Säg det med blommor* (1952), Actor
- *Valley of the Eagles* (1951), as Baroness Erland
- *Puck heter jag* (1951), as Agneta Lindman
- *Södrans Revy* (1950), as The primadonna
- *Fianceé for Hire* (1950), as En gammal dam
- *Singoalla* (1949), as Cioara
- *Thirst* (1949), as Miss Henriksson
- *Playing Truant* (1949), as Dehlin, principal
- *Hin och smålänningen* (1949), Actor
- *The Woman Drives Me Crazy* (1948), Actor
- *Flottans kavaljerer* (1948), as Mamma Carotti
- *Private Bom* (1948), as Head Nurse
- *Solkatten* (1948), as Helena
- *Hammarforsens brus* (1948), Actor
- *Lappblod* (1948), as Mina
- *Music in Darkness* (1948), as Beatrice Schröder
- *They Fought Their Way to Freedom* (1948), Actor
- *The People from Simlång Valley* (1947), as Skoga-Börta
- *Ådalens poesi* (1947), Actor
- *Caged Women* (1947), as Mrs Jonsson
- *A Guest Is Coming* (1947), as Doris af Ernstam
- *Nattvaktens hustru* (1947), Actor
- *Livet i finnskogarna* (1947), as Sigrid Malm
- *How to Love* (1947), as Vera Stätt
- *Den långa vägen* (1947), as Hedvig Charlotta Nordenflycht
- *Hotell Kåkbrinken* (1946), as Mia Boman
- *Jag älskar dig, argbigga* (1946), Actor
- *Djurgårdskvällar* (1946), Actor
- *Stiliga Augusta* (1946), as fru Lundahl
- *Flickor i hamn* (1945), as Mrs. Holst
- *Sten Stensson kommer till stan* (1945), as Emma Bohrn
- *Se opp för spioner!* (1944), Actor
- *En dotter född* (1944), as Miss Edit
- *Kungsgatan* (1943), as Porter
- *Madame Visits Oslo* (1927), as Madam Vera

## Gallery

- ![Depicted person: Naima Wifstrand – Swedish actress (1890–1968) (1916)](https://film.one/media/person/3874008/gallery-6c9701e912ff.jpg) Depicted person: Naima Wifstrand – Swedish actress (1890–1968) (1916) — Ferdinand Flodin, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Naima_Wifstrand_1890-1968_svensk_sk%C3%A5despelare_i_Inkognito_-_1916_SLSA_1270_34_foto_1924.jpg/1280px-Naima_Wifstrand_1890-1968_svensk_sk%C3%A5despelare_i_Inkognito_-_1916_SLSA_1270_34_foto_1924.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Depicted person: Naima Wifstrand – Swedish actress (1890–1968)](https://film.one/media/person/3874008/gallery-1b3e5ac24196.jpg) Depicted person: Naima Wifstrand – Swedish actress (1890–1968) — Panorama Bild, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Naima_Wifstrand_1890-1968_svensk_-_11.06.1964_SLSA_1270_34_foto_1927.jpg/1280px-Naima_Wifstrand_1890-1968_svensk_-_11.06.1964_SLSA_1270_34_foto_1927.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Naima Wifstrand](https://film.one/media/person/3874008/gallery-b54572a3d22a.jpg) Naima Wifstrand — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Naima_Wifstrand.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Depicted person: Naima Wifstrand – Swedish actress (1890–1968) (1964)](https://film.one/media/person/3874008/gallery-f2ab5584fb11.jpg) Depicted person: Naima Wifstrand – Swedish actress (1890–1968) (1964) — CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Naima_Wifstrand_1890-1968_svensk_-_1964_SLSA_1270_34_foto_1929.jpg/1280px-Naima_Wifstrand_1890-1968_svensk_-_1964_SLSA_1270_34_foto_1929.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Naima Wifstrand](https://film.one/media/person/3874008/gallery-ee8e0ef583c9.jpg) Naima Wifstrand — Image via TMDB
- ![Naima Wifstrand](https://film.one/media/person/3874008/gallery-afb3d87c9918.jpg) Naima Wifstrand — Image via TMDB
- !["Fröken Wifstrand i Dollarprinsessan" (1909)](https://film.one/media/person/3874008/gallery-b03f4b2e4f5a.jpg) "Fröken Wifstrand i Dollarprinsessan" (1909) — Johannes Johansson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Joh_dollarprinsessan.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Bildet er hentet fra Nasjonalbibliotekets bildesamling. Anmerkninger til bildet var: Påskrift arkivark: Kroghs utstilling Arkivnummer: 447](https://film.one/media/person/3874008/gallery-3df51e6c81ab.jpg) Bildet er hentet fra Nasjonalbibliotekets bildesamling. Anmerkninger til bildet var: Påskrift arkivark: Kroghs utstilling Arkivnummer: 447 — Narve Skarpmoen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Christian_Krohgs_utstilling_-_no-nb_digifoto_20160422_00041_NB_NS_NM_10390.jpg/1280px-Christian_Krohgs_utstilling_-_no-nb_digifoto_20160422_00041_NB_NS_NM_10390.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/naima-wifstrand